Affinity
by BlueVioletRose
Summary: Age sheds light on the darker corners of life. Post-DOB. [H/A]
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The young riders of Berk sat around a newly built bonfire on the stony beach and stared at the dancing flames before them in silence as they waited for Hiccup to arrive.

Tuffnut glanced over at his peers and wondered how time had gone by so fast. They all looked so _different_.

_Older._

It felt strange and uncertain.

He curiously peered at his twin sister's face. She looked unusually solemn which caused a sudden pang of sadness in his chest. As they had matured, it had become increasingly difficult for Tuffnut to be able to determine her thought process. She had closed herself off to him, far gone from the girl he had known since… well… _forever._ Growing up, he had often antagonized her but all the while always appreciated that she was his sister. Most people entered into this world alone but Ruffnut had occupied his personal space and annoyed him for as far back as he could remember and he would not have it any other way.

The tension around them thickened when he noticed a dark look cross his sister's face. Tuffnut discreetly turned his eyes towards the source of Ruffnut's annoyance.

_Astrid._

The girl in question had her eyes lowered to the ground to avoid Ruffnut's heated gaze. It was hard to understand what could have transpired in what felt like mere moments to generate such a severe response from his sister.

Tuffnut stared blatantly at Astrid as he searched for signs of discomfort or regret. She was an enigma to him. They rarely interacted unless it involved violence which he had always been perfectly content about. It did however not prevent his nosy mind from scrutinizing her every move. Until recently, she used to be closed off and dismissive. Her face mostly remained the same throughout the years but her harsh eyes seemed to have gained more depth. He often found himself desiring to drown in those dark blue pools despite how icy they seemed from afar.

It took less than a moment before Tuffnut's eyes predictably wandered down to her chest, completely forgetting about his former musings. A lazy smile stretched across his face now and he appeared to be in some kind of a stupor.

Astrid sensing his ogling, immediately crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.

Tuffnut blinked, throwing a side-glance to Snotlout who seemed to be holding back a snicker and Fishlegs who was _blushing._ He also heard his sister release a humorous snort, her anger almost deflated.

_Girls were weird._

Snotlout looked like he was about to speak up but was interrupted by a Night Fury shooting through the sky. The stillness in the air died down and was now replaced by chattering and laughs as they watched Hiccup land before them. Everyone looked noticeably happier. Including Snotlout much to Tuffnut's surprise. Times had really changed.

Hiccup made his way over to them with Toothless trailing on behind him. He was almost unrecognizable by the way he carried himself nowadays.

Toothless lowered to the ground next to the other dragons and let a yawn escape, which earned him a deep chuckle from Hiccup who was busy pulling out bottles of mead from the bag hanging next to his saddle.

"From Gobber," Hiccup muttered, sinking down beside Astrid and Fishlegs after passing the bottles on. "Sorry I'm late," he added with a tired smile.

"The chief never apologizes," Tuffnut replied, casually sipping on his bittersweet beverage.

Hiccup resisted an urge to roll his eyes. "Not chief_ yet_," he mumbled, taking a huge gulp of his own.

"But you will be someday," Tuffnut insisted, causing Hiccup to groan in protest.

"Can we not talk about this right now?" Hiccup almost pleaded, looking at the others to help him divert this conversation. Fishlegs took pity and started quoting a section from the Book of Dragons.

"Boring!" Snotlout boomed, interrupting the younger boy. Fishlegs glared at him before turning his attention to Meatlug. Snotlout smirked at Ruffnut next to him. "What say you to a midnight stroll?" he suggested, wiggling his bushy eyebrows.

Tuffnut frowned, looking away. _This was weird._

Ruffnut huffed and was about to respond but found herself distracted by something else that caught her eye.

Tuffnut followed her gaze and saw Astrid and Hiccup speaking to each other in a hushed manner, and then Hiccup reaching out to brush the bangs away from Astrid's face as she smiled up at him. Her eyes were looking warmer than usual.

His sister was now glaring at the ground while Snotlout kept firing obnoxious comments at her. Tuffnut stood up abruptly and attempted to throw the remaining contents in his bottle at Snotlout but ended up soaking his sister instead. _Ops._

That earned Tuffnut a punch in the gut. Ruffnut looked furious and her cheeks burned as Hiccup glanced over at her curiously. She looked like she contemplated leaving but Astrid's voice froze her.

"Are you okay?" she asked with a slight nervous edge to her tone.

Ruffnut opened her mouth to retort something but as her eyes met Hiccup's, the words died in her throat. She settled with a lame, "I'm fine."

"No, you are not," Tuffnut snapped. His sister had been acting incredibly strange. She was far from fine and even he could see that.

"It's my fault," Astrid whispered, "I'm a bad friend," she said, fingering the metal band around her wrist.

Ruffnut shook her head.

"No. No, you are not..." Her voice trailed off.

"What did you do?" Tuffnut cut in, feeling himself becoming impatient.

Ruffnut ignored him. "Can we talk?" she asked in a weary tone. Tuffnut was not entirely sure exactly who she had been speaking to until Astrid stood up quietly and followed her away from the bonfire and into the shadows.

xx

Ruffnut's mood seemed to have improved greatly when they finally returned. It did however confuse Tuffnut when Ruffnut switched seats with Astrid and settled down next to the oblivious Hiccup. Tuffnut nervously bumped his shoulder on Astrid's and prepared himself for the pain that was about to come.

It never came.

Astrid merely poked him back with her finger, a half-smile lit on her face.

"You know, she is lucky to have a brother like you." She said, looking at him with a calm and serene expression. Her eyes had never seemed warmer.

Tuffnut scanned the group again. Fishlegs had long ago given up on any attempt on conversation and was tending to his dragon whilst she slept. Snotlout was drunk and Hiccup was listening to something Ruffnut was telling him but his eyes stayed glued to the girl that was now sitting next to Tuffnut.

The sun was soon going to rise but the teens stayed put.

Astrid stood up suddenly and lifted her bottle up in the air. "To friendship," she said looking over her drunken friends with a smile.

"To family," Ruffnut yelled back at Astrid, her voice sounding intoxicated and she was now leaning heavily on Hiccup who was starting to look slightly uncomfortable.

Ruffnut lifted her head off Hiccup's shoulder to look at Tuffnut from across the fire, the corners of her mouth turning up. He nodded back at her, lifting his empty bottle up and then pretending to take a sip. Ruffnut laughed, shaking her head in amusement.

As a comfortable silence started to settle down, Hiccup quietly added, almost as an afterthought, "..and for everything else."

Astrid bit back a smile.


	2. Chapter 1

**Sorry about the late update, I have been busy with Uni work.**

Stoick the vast excelled well at giving speeches. His words, deep and powerful, effortlessly captured the attention of his fellow Vikings. They would listen attentively when he spoke, admiration radiating in their eyes. No one would as much as utter a word. It had always been like this until this very startling moment. As Stoick began speaking of Berk's future, he gestured to the seat next to him, overlooking the fact that it was now empty. His son's name was suddenly resting on the lips of the crowd around him. The mummers echoed piercingly in his ears, almost causing his usually commanding voice to falter but he quickly regained himself. He exchanged a glance with Gobber who shook his head while looking pointedly towards the entrance of the Great Hall. Stoick inhaled sharply, forcing himself to continue on until silence eventually enveloped the crowd again.

It was nearing dusk when Gobber finally found Hiccup hunched over his wooden desk in the room next to the forge, doodling something that resembled the getup he was currently wearing. Gobber eyed the boy with relief and wariness. "Hiccup," he started gently, "I've been looking all over Berk for you. Don't tell me you have been here all along," he said, frowning at his former apprentice.

Hiccup gazed at the rough sketch in front of him for a moment before turning to Gobber. "Hello Gobber," he greeted him with a casual smile. "What can I do for you?" he asked in an absentminded tone while habitually rubbing the back of his own neck.

Toothless who had been taking a well-deserved nap, had jolted awake upon Gobber's rude arrival. The winged reptile now yawned and fixated his piercing stare on the older man, silently guarding his rider from afar.

"I noticed you left during the big meeting in the Great Hall," Gobber continued, sitting down on a stool across from Hiccup who still appeared lost in thought. He studied him curiously, feeling slightly intrigued by his cryptic behavior. The boy was now a young man, grown past his scrawny phase and almost as tall as his father soon. It had been a staggering physical change. Gobber had however strong doubts if the boy had changed much at all on the inside.

Hiccup lifted his hand up to rub his neck again, eyes widening. "Oh," he muttered, "I was expected to stay?" he sounded both timid and a bit defensive.

Gobber frowned. "Of course you were! You are the chief's only son and the next in line," he exclaimed. When a sheepish look covered Hiccup's face, Gobber added in a significantly calmer voice, "Hiccup, it is expected of you to be present on these meetings."

Hiccup nodded mutely, his fingernails digging into his palms almost as a nervous reflex. Gobber sighed, running his good hand over his own face. "So where did you run off to?" he asked at last, leaning back in his seat as his shoulders finally slumped down in exhaustion.

Hiccup forced out a breathy laugh before turning back to study his newly drawn sketch again. "I wanted to try out my new flying suit. It still needs some tweaks I think," he said, a smile replacing the earlier grimace on his face and then developing into a full beam as an idea struck him. He hurriedly grabbed his charcoal pencil and frantically started scribbling on the sheet before him. Gobber watched in silence for a moment, unsure whether he was fascinated or irked by the boy's overly imaginative mind.

"Hiccup," Gobber shook his head, exasperation finally outweighing his vague curiosity. "I'm sure that's all great but you need to start showing some responsibility if you are going to be chief."

Hiccup's hand stilled for a moment before forcefully slamming the charcoal down on the rough draft, nearly ruining all of it. Toothless raised his head at the alerting sound, looking at Hiccup worriedly. Hiccup shook his head at him, muttering, "sorry bud," and then at last regarded Gobber with his full attention.

"What if…" He began hesitantly. "What if I don't want to be chief?"

Confusion swept over Gobber's face but he remained tightlipped, silently encouraging Hiccup to explain himself.

"Not yet at least," Hiccup's voice dropped into a whisper, "I… I want to explore what's out there Gobber," his tone then turned firm and passionate, "there is so much to see. There is a world beyond Berk. All these uncharted seas, landscapes and dragon species yet to be discovered! I want to do it. I can do it… now that I have Toothless," he shared a meaningful look with Toothless who hummed in response. "If I become chief, Berk will be my fulltime responsibility. I love Berk but I'm not ready to commit to any kind of obligation right now," he sighed, sounding apprehensive again. "I mean… I barely even got to be… myself._"_

Gobber scratched his forehead as he pondered over the boy's rambling. "I don't think Stoick expects you to start preparing for chiefdom this instant Hiccup. He will give you your much needed time to adjust," he tried to convince him.

Hiccup almost snorted. "Right. So that must be why he is having me endure all these pointless meetings. "

Gobber let out a tired sigh. "Would you like me to talk to him for you?"

Hiccup shot him a sarcastic look and then wordlessly shook his head.

Gobber nodded, clearing his throat. "Would you like a new conversation then?"

A small smile grazed Hiccup's face upon hearing his own words spoken back at him. "Yes, please."

"So how is it going with the ladies?" Gobber chuckled.

Hiccup almost groaned out loud. "I should have seen that coming," he whined, causing Gobber to laugh harder and then tried to keep back his own smile as he dryly uttered, "I'm really glad this amuses you."

"Oh but it does!" Gobber grinned viciously, his tone teasing and playful. "So how is Astrid?"

Hiccup rolled his eyes in false exasperation.

It had taken them ages to define their relationship. While they had interacted civilly as children, he would not have called her his friend back then and the distance between them only grew as years passed by until they were almost strangers living next door to one another. Thus Hiccup began viewing her as unattainable and faultless while she held little to no regard for him. When he finally managed to capture her attention it had been during his most hopeless moments and only solidified her idea of him being careless and irresponsible. It wasn't until her significant encounter with Toothless their relationship changed its course and a mutual understanding started to develop between them. As they gradually became more acquainted with each other, previous views and ideas shattered. Hiccup finally began to open his eyes in the same way she had opened her hers. There were still blurry lines but their friendship was at least genuine for the first time.

The forge door suddenly opened and Stoick entered with a miserable expression etched across his aging face. The comfortable atmosphere faded away as soon as his eyes met Hiccup's. Gobber abruptly stood up to make his leave and give the Haddocks some space. As he passed by Stoick in the doorway, Hiccup noticed the two men exchange a few words and then his father nod after Gobber's retreating figure.

Hiccup did not stir from his spot as Stoick walked closer but his eyes were downcast now, glaring into his lap.

"Hiccup, look at me." Stoick commanded calmly. Hiccup slowly raised his eyes and was surprised to find his father looking rather composed and worried instead of upset and angry as he had expected him to be.

"I'm very disappointed by the way you behaved today," he continued, in a firm serious tone.

"When aren't you?" Hiccup muttered.

Stoick sighed, ignoring his snide comment. "I am grounding you until you-" He was suddenly cut off by Hiccup snorting.

"I'm not a child," he said, scowling at his father.

"Then stop behaving like one." Stoick nearly shouted, his voice finally rising. "I don't want to do this Hiccup but you leave me no choice. From this day forth, you are not allowed to fly or leave Berk at any time. You will help me around with my chiefly tasks and you will start working for Gobber again."

"Just because I didn't stay for your big grand speech? Yeah, sounds pretty fair dad."

"It's not just because of tonight Hiccup. You keep disobeying me, you are never where you are supposed to be and Thor knows where you fly off to every time you leave Berk. You need to start taking your future position as chief more seriously." Stoick could almost feel the anger radiating off his son and momentarily felt like backtracking until Toothless started to growl at him. The beast had made his way towards them the moment Stoick raised his voice and was now standing next to where his son sat, glaring at him. If Stoick had been in a better mood, the sight of his son and a dragon sharing almost identical facial expressions would have amused him greatly but as of now his face remained stern.

"I'm sorry but this is how it's going to be." He finalized his decision and then turned to Toothless. "Hiccup will make sure you will be able to fly on your own for a while."

xxx

The Great Hall was dimly lit, filled with laughter and the smell of ale strong in the air. Everyone feasted and drank, enjoying a warm meal before taking off for the night.

"Hiccup looks miserable," Fishlegs noted, stealing a glance at the chief's table as he took a place at the table across. Stoick was animatedly conversing with Gobber who wore a smirk while the lanky boy beside them brooded in silence, his food untouched, quietly nursing his drink.

"Look at him! He is pouting now," Fishlegs continued when Hiccup pursed his lips slightly.

"Well you would be pouting too if you were not allowed to fly Meatlug anymore," Snotlout shrugged, noisily munching on a grilled chicken leg, fat dripping onto his plate with every eager bite.

Fishlegs' eyes widened, disbelief painting his face. "What did he do? And how do you know this?" he heard Ruffnut ask, sounding strangely concerned. Fishlegs tried to ignore how her entire face flushed every time she looked in the direction of the main table.

Snotlout wiped his oily chin with his hand and belched loudly, earning dirty looks from the people around him. "I heard the chief speaking to my father. He said Hiccup was being _disobedient_."

"Hiccup? Disobedient? Now that's funny," Tuffnut laughed, his mouth overstuffed with meat. Ruffnut wrinkled her nose in disgust at the sight, pushing her own plate away.

"Sounds like an overly harsh punishment for such a small crime," Fishlegs mused out loud.

"Well the chief is a harsh man," Snotlout confirmed. "But still nowhere as unforgiving as my father," he grumbled, slurping down the rest of his ale.

xxx

Hiccup titled his head back as the misty wind washed over him, sending exhilarating tremors down his spine. The lake in the cove came to view as Toothless made a dive, gleaming in the starry night sky. The raindrops had drenched the ground beneath them from the earlier thunderstorm, making it almost insufferable to walk without slipping. Hiccup and Toothless had stayed in a cave nearby throughout its duration but as soon as the sky cleared, they were back up in the air.

As they neared the clearing again, Hiccup thought he heard movement in the bushes. His pupils expanded as his eyes searched through the darkness. He told Toothless to lower down to the sticky ground. Hopping off him, Hiccup leaped towards the fidgeting wilds. His feet glided against the mud, smearing his shoes as he approached the groaning frame still hidden from his eyesight.

Alas, his luck against the frictionless soil ran out and he lost his footing in his last steps and ended up stumbling on top of the intruder. A hiss of pain was heard as they collided, rather violently.

Hiccup quickly lifted himself up, his face reddening as he found himself hovering above Astrid Hofferson. She mirrored his alarmed posture and heard him let out a yelp when she shoved him off her.

"Why were you hiding in the bushes?" he grumbled, finding himself awkwardly positioned on the pasty and cold ground next to her.

"I wasn't. I _slipped _against the rocks," she hissed at him. Hiccup vaguely noticed dark bruises forming on her bare arms and her flaxen hair loosening out of its braid.

His new flying suit was caked in a thick layer of mud but it was nothing compared to the torn articles hanging flimsily on her petite form. As the rain decided to make another reappearance for the night, Hiccup hurriedly stood up, calling for Toothless and pulling Astrid along to find shelter inside the nearest cave.

They ended up in the same cave he and Toothless had occupied earlier that night and Toothless relit the dead fire.

"Where is your dragon?" Hiccup asked cautiously as he gave Toothless a much-needed scratch. The dragon purred in delight, staring down at him affectionately.

Astrid lifted her hands up against the soothing flames. "It's nighttime, so Stormfly is naturally asleep in her stall," she murmured, eyeing the yawning dragon next to him.

Hiccup extended his arm upwards to touch Toothless on his snout. "Sorry for tiring you out bud," he whispered, a flicker of guilt rushing through him. Toothless merely snuggled against his hand. "Sleep," he told him, his hand now stroking the reptile's head as it lowered to the cave floor. Toothless fell into a light but comfy slumber, the sound of the rain pouring down resounding harmoniously in his ears.

Hiccup raised himself up and turned to the girl who was desperately soaking up all the warmth the fire could muster. For a fleeting moment, Astrid felt her heart race as Hiccup sank down behind her, wrapping his leather-clad arms around her shivering body. She resisted the urge to push him away.

"So you have started sneaking out again," she broke the unnerving silence, a hint of nervousness underlying her otherwise strong tone.

Hiccup tightened his hold on her but his voice was decidedly colder as he spoke. "Did my father send you to spy on me?" he whispered into her ear, his chin accidentally brushing against her bare shoulder.

Astrid tried to keep her breathing steady. "Of course not," she said, slightly restrained. "Not everything is about you and your father." She finally leaned into his embrace now, greedily stealing the heat off his body and ignoring the faint painful soaring inside her chest. "It was my own decision to come here."

Hiccup hummed in response, his fingers subconsciously tracing her bruises. "To spy on me?" he asked wryly.

"No, to talk to you," Astrid huffed, momentarily biting her lip to hold back a curt retort. "I saw you leaving your house earlier. You were not being very stealth by the way," she let out a humorless laugh to which Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"I just wanted to talk to someone other than my family," she continued softly and felt Hiccup sigh, relaxing his hold on her and then grabbing her hands in his, gently rubbing the cold out of them.

"I did not see you in the mead hall tonight," he noted. "Is everything okay?"

She shook her head, suddenly slipping out of his grasp as she stood up, her eyes forced shut. "No," she whispered, voice unusually thick with emotion.

His startled expression became one of understanding as a sudden realization dawned him. He stood up abruptly, grabbing her hand to pull her close and then lowered them down onto the ground again but made sure they were facing one another this time. His hands cupped her face as she began speaking. "My mother fell ill again but this time her condition is much worse. She hardly moves. The healer says she could disappear any moment now." Astrid felt tears threatening to leak despite having promised herself she would not cry.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this," he told her with a sad smile, pushing the loose tendrils away from her glossy eyes. She nodded, collapsing against him at last, burying her face in his chest to comfort her own heart. "You should be with her right now," she heard him mummer.

"I know," she breathed out shakily and then tilted her head back to look up at him. "When we first found out she was sick I was so angry all the time. I felt like the Gods were punishing me," her words dipped in bitterness. "But I accepted it in the end, even began looking forward to the day she leaves for Valhalla just so I did not have to see her suffer anymore," her voice trembled. "And then when she got better, I should have felt happy Hiccup," she paused for a moment, taking a deep breathe, "but I wasn't."

Hiccup kept quiet, unsure of how to respond.

"Now that she is sick again, I can't bear to be in the same room for too long. I had to get out. You probably think I'm a horrible person," she whispered pitifully against his chest.

Hiccup carefully lifted her chin up with his hand, making her look at him. "Unless being horrible to yourself counts as being a horrible person," he teased her despite her sulky mood. "Everyone deals with this sort of thing differently, Astrid," he assured her. "And for the record... you are one of the strongest and most caring people I know."

Astrid initially rolled her eyes but after a thoughtful pause, warmed up to his words. "You really think so?" Her fingers trailed enticingly over his leathered chest as she watched him with an unreadable expression.

"Yes," he stated firmly, eyes twinkling. A foreign sensation flourished inside him at the smile that then spread across her face.

She lightly poked him on his arm. "You are only saying this because you are my friend and you have to make me feel better," still smiling faintly in spite of herself.

"Or because it's the truth," he replied dryly. "That is always a possibility," he whispered.

A prolonged beat of silence followed his latter utterance before they at last gave into their baser feelings.

It went unbeknownst to them when it had stopped raining, being deeply caught up in the heat of the moment. It was only after Toothless' interruption; they finally untangled and readied to leave.

xxx

Hiccup returned home right before sunrise, nearly collapsing on his bed in exhaustion and restlessness, his tired eyes fluttering close. Toothless on the other hand was energetically bouncing about his room having fulfilled his sleep whilst their stay in the cave. He tried to nudge Hiccup awake a couple of times but was rather unsuccessful. With a pout he descended the wooden stairs and found the newly awoken chief preparing breakfast, blissfully unaware of his son's late night outing.

Toothless neared him cautiously, eyeing all the fresh cod placed on a tray. Stoick, sensing his presence, turned to him with a warmhearted laugh, offering the creature some of the fish. Toothless swallowed it all down in one go and then bobbed his head excitedly, asking for more.

"I'm not sure how much you are allowed to eat this early in the morning," Stoick said scratching his head. The dragon pouted at him now. "Okay, fine. But don't tell Hiccup," he gave in to his plea and ended up serving him nearly all of content on the tray, merely saving one cod each for himself and Hiccup.

Stoick watched Toothless with fondness as he finished up. He had grown quite accustomed to him over the years. "Good to have someone with a healthy appetite around here," he chuckled, patting his head lovingly when he was done. Toothless growled back at him in happiness.


	3. Chapter 2

Everything was within the ordinary when Ruffnut routinely followed the familiar trail of her favorite bathing spot, deep into the woods and away from prying eyes. Berk was known for its cool climate but at the arrival of spring the temperatures increased remarkably high. Ruffnut had so from this summer on incorporated daily swims into her morning schedule. The dips, amazingly uplifting, relieved her of any stress she may have felt from the day before, typically caused by her twin brother.

As she arrived, she suddenly noted some peculiar movement under the normally still water and momentarily speculated if it could be Tuffnut playing a prank on her. Her brother was predictable like that. He liked spoiling her enjoyments. Last summer she had woken up in her bed to find it drenched in the fish oil she used to tend her hair with. The stench had been so intense and long lasting, she swore off ever using the oil again. Her hair lost some of its shine as a consequence but overall looked cleaner now.

Ruffnut carefully began taking even steps in the direction of the disturbance but stopped shortly when an exceptional black dragon suddenly splashed into view. Her heart hammered as her eyes roamed over the lake searchingly but much to her disappointment, Toothless seemed to be without his usual company.

The dragon closed in on her, his swift movements accidentally soaking her clothes. Ruffnut held back a shriek of surprise and hesitantly lifted her hand up to reach for him but Toothless, not being accustomed to her touch, flinched away. Her hand dropped to her side and she merely observed him for a moment.

Toothless gazed back, his eyes twinkling in wonder, before cocking his head to the opposite direction and fleeing. Ruffnut, without thinking, leaped after him but it was to no prevail. She soon lost sight of him and found herself standing in the middle of nowhere. She was sweaty, breathless and deeply confused. She considered going back to the river now genuinely needing a thorough wash up.

"_Toothless!" _

Ruffnut paused mid-step upon hearing _his_ voice. She briefly questioned if it really was _him_ and not just her wishful thinking. When he shouted again, her initial suspicions were affirmed.

She remained unseen, hidden in the shadows of the trees, when she found him standing near an open cliff, Toothless faithfully by his side. The sunlight illuminated his damp yet vibrant hair, making the reddish tint standout and contrast wonderfully against the darker shades. She could not make out his eyes since he was staring ahead but her breath hitched as she drank in his exposed chest. When had the changes in him become so prominent?

Her mind drifted back to last Snoggletog. The day he had physically stood up to Snotlout. She could still remember the collective gasps around the Great Hall during the showdown. It had been an even fight and in the aftermath of it, they had drank themselves to stupor to ease the pain. This led to an unfolding of several bizarre events, which included Snotlout passing out in his skivvies and Hiccup making out with some girl named Ingrid under the chief's table. Ruffnut had thought it amusing at the time but now felt her chest tightening at the vivid memory.

"What is it, bud?"

She heard Hiccup ask and quickly realized the dragon had been watching her. She hurriedly stepped further back into the tree line and then dashed off.

xxx

Astrid was hanging up laundry outside to dry when Ruffnut tried to sneak past the Hofferson house. Alas, Stormfly detected her and began squeaking in alarm, forcing Astrid to acknowledge the girl behind her. Ruffnut was met with a blank expression and a curt greeting. Since the passing of Brunhild Hofferson, Astrid had shut herself down and it had thus put a damper on their friendship.

"Hey," Ruffnut replied nervously. "How are you feeling?"

Astrid appeared unfazed, continuing on with her task at hand as she dryly answered, "I'm fine." The tiredness that was peaking through her perfect exterior contradicted that statement but Ruffnut refrained herself from pointing that out.

"We hardly see each other anymore," she continued instead, moving closer after noticing light quivering in Astrid's pale arms. When a somewhat familiar tunic slipped past the trembling girl's fingers under an attempt to attach it to the wire, Ruffnut rushed forward to pick it up. Recognition suddenly struck her as she held it up and immediately drew Astrid into a firm hug. "Don't push _us_ away," she whispered pleadingly.

Astrid kept mum, arms hanging loosely at her sides almost as if she did not have the strength to return the hug. She did however offer a timid smile when Ruffnut pulled back to look at her.

"_We_ miss you Astrid," Ruffnut said, reminding her again she had many who cared of her wellbeing and that she did not have to isolate herself.

Astrid mustered a nod before turning back to the laundry in the straw-basket. Ruffnut decided to help her finish up and later followed her inside the dim dust layered house. She felt like she was going to suffocate the moment she entered. The furniture was misplaced, food laid splayed over the dining table and the stairs were cluttered. Astrid had always been tidy and well organized; it was appalling to see how she had been living lately.

Astrid paused once inside the main room, her face flushing as she turned to Ruffnut. "Sorry about the mess," she mumbled, sloppily waving over the disordered room.

Ruffnut spotted a wooden chest, commonly used during long travels, supporting next to the wall. It was crammed with clothing, food and other essentials. Her brows furrowed. "Where is your father?" she asked suspiciously.

Astrid briefly froze, muttering, "I'm not sure," and then went to grab a bucket full of chicken for Stormfly who had been wiggling her tail in impatience.

Ruffnut's frown deepened but she did not dwell on it. "Why are you feeding her that?" she asked, shifting her attention to the Nadder's special diet.

"It helps her achieve a higher speed since Nadders aren't exactly known for being fast," Astrid explained reticently. "It also improves her stamina," she added in a much lower voice.

Ruffnut shot her a curious look but nodded.

The remaining of the day was for the most part spent talking about their chores and mainly dragons. It wasn't until alcoholic beverages entered the scene that their conversation diverted to more personal topics. Ruffnut kept her actual feelings guarded but implied having a change of heart about something. There was also brief moment she felt that Astrid could see right through her. They had been conversing about courtship and suitors when Ruffnut had accidentally let Hiccup's name slip through. If Astrid minded, she gave no indication of it. Ruffnut was well aware that Hiccup had once yearned for Astrid and it had not been entirely one-sided but in the present day they only maintained a friendship. Ruffnut decided to play it safe nevertheless.

xxx

Evening had fallen by the time Ruffnut made it home. Astrid had unfortunately been feeling under the weather and had to decline coming along. Despite their friendly banter earlier, deep down Ruffnut suspected Astrid was still reluctant to spend time with her friends. She hoped things would return back to normal soon.

Tuffnut was in a sullen mood when Ruffnut wobbled in, feeling queasy and bit drowsy as an after-effect of the alcohol intake. He had been patiently waiting on his sister for hours in hopes that they would ride their Zippleback when she was back. As he now saw her limping about, anger rose inside of him. He had wasted his whole afternoon and his sister seemed like she could care less.

Ruffnut should have been apologetic but found no real guilt within her. Her brother was capable of making his own decisions; she had not forced him to wait. Their mutual annoyance eventually blew up to an explosive argument. Ruffnut could not put her heart fully into it though. So it ended as abruptly as it began.

Right before Tuffnut made his dramatic departure, he pulled forward a worn basket full of old knifes. "Mother wants these sharpened," he told Ruffut gruffly, "I was going to take them to Gobber myself but now that you are here…" He placed it on the table in front of her. "Knock yourself out."

Ruffnut watched him stomp out the door with a huff. She stared after him regretfully before reaching for the basket. As she touched it, her mind began racing with the possibilities of encountering the chief's heir again. With the rate these opportunities were presenting themselves, maybe they would successfully hold a conversation for once. He was always so withdrawn whenever they interacted. Ruffnut could only hope at this point.

She waited until sundown to make her visit. It was more certain for him to be there late night and for her headache from the prior events to have finally ebbed away by then.

xxx

Ruffnut's strides glided scathingly against the stiff surface of the blacksmith shop as she stepped inside. The silence was heavy apart from the muffled sounds coming from the room beside which was hidden behind thick curtains. The fire in the forge was also alit, illuminating the weaponry dangling from the walls. Ruffnut spotted an axe resting next to the sharpening stone wheel and tried to grasp the handle but unwittingly dropped it on the ground. The clash vibrated through the whole room.

The curtains suddenly drew back and Hiccup stepped out. Ruffnut tried stealing a peak inside but he quickly closed the drapes behind him. She took in his messy state. His hair was disarrayed, cheeks flushed and his tunic hanging awkwardly from his body, almost as if put on in haste. Ruffnut's stomach lurched slightly.

"Is there something you needed?" Hiccup asked, clearing his throat, his breathing deep and uneven.

Ruffnut suddenly felt the weight of the knives she was carrying. She opened and closed her mouth several times before squeaking out a response. "Yes, I need you to…" She clumsily thrust the basket into his chest. Hiccup grimaced at the impact, being pushed back a few steps.

"Sorry," Ruffnut frowned, mortification creeping in on her.

Hiccup shook his head. "It's fine." He walked over to the sharpening wheel and paused at the axe on the ground. He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"It's late," he said, turning to look at her again, "I'll have these done first thing in the morning."

He gave her a tight smile and went to pick up the fallen axe. She watched him set it back to where it had been resting prior to her meddling.

When she still remained firm in her spot, the impatience in his stare became more prominent. "So I'll see you tomorrow then," he stressed, rubbing the back of his neck.

Ruffnut could only nod. His dismissive behavior was probably triggered by tiredness but the disappointment was still hard to swallow. "Alright," she whispered nervously before reluctantly stepping towards the forge entrance. She chose to ignore the shuffling behind her, followed by soft whispering.


End file.
